How To Cook Pheasant (2024)

FAQs

Which cooking method is best for pheasant? ›

Roasting the bird whole is probably the easiest and most popular way of cooking pheasant.

Another method: marination. For his award-winning sandwich, Hill marinated his pheasant in Burgundy for about two days before cooking. “When you marinate it, whatever acid you're putting it into is going to break down that meat and make it a lot more tender,” he said.

Opinions on this topic vary widely, but what I've learned is this: if you soak the meat in cold saltwater overnight, it will draw out any residual blood, which can give the meat an undesireable taste. If you soak it in milk (or buttermilk), it further draws out the “gamey” flavor.

Roasting Your Pheasant

Test for doneness by placing meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. The pheasant should be cooked to an internal temperature of 180℉.

Soak the pheasant.

Soaking it in liquid before cooking can add more moisture to the meat, and this will make for a more tender bird. For younger birds, soak the meat for about four hours.

THE BEST WAY TO COOK PHEASANT BREASTS

Using the straw, suck out the air, then zip it completely shut. Pop the bag on a roasting tray and put it in the oven at 65°C (149°F) or a pan of water at the same temperature; use a thermometer. Leave it for an hour (more does not matter – it won't overcook) then remove.

We leave the pheasants completely intact (not plucked or gutted) and hang them by the neck to keep the blood in the carcass. This helps prevent the meat from drying out or freezing if temperatures drop dramatically. We usually leave our birds to hang for a maximum of 3 days.

When preparing upland birds, such as grouse, pheasant, quail, and partridge, skin the bird and soak in cold water for one to two hours to remove the excess blood. aging. If you wish to age the birds, holding them at just above freezing tempera- tures for two to three days may increase the tenderness of the meat.

Marinades, buttermilk, tomatoes, peppers, etc. all naturally contain acids. When grilling or roasting thighs, soaking them in your favorite marinade for a few hours beforehand is a great way to both tenderize the exterior and imbue with flavor.

Water becomes your friend when you are ready to cook or freeze your birds. Only then do you want to rinse or brine your pheasants or quail – and even then many people frown on that. I actually prefer the flavor of a pheasant that's only been wiped clean with a damp cloth.

How long to soak game birds in salt water? ›

You may soak older birds in a solution of ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar per quart of cold water for 4 to 12 hours in the refrigerator.

I generally take light-meat game birds out of the pan at 155° degrees Fahrenheit, which results in slightly rosy meat that is just cooked through but still juicy. With darker game birds, such as waterfowl and prairie grouse, I like a juicy medium—take meat off at 135°-140°.

Brown pheasant breasts in melted butter and move to glass 9×13 inch pan. Melt remaining butter in skillet and add honey. Once warmed through, pour over pheasant breasts and sprinkle parsley on top. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes at 300 degrees F or until juices run clear.

Lightly salt and pepper and cook to no more than medium-rare. Fun tip: Consider cracking fresh black pepper over the heart and fry in bacon grease. Neck: I rarely (if ever) save the neck on pheasants as very little meat exists here, but if you are persistent you can likely pick off some bits if you toss in a gravy.